Program Withdrawal

Program withdrawal policies are dependent upon the type of study abroad program, as well as the stage of the application process at the time of withdrawal. Participants considering withdrawal from a program are encouraged to notify their Study Abroad Advisor as soon as possible for more information on how to officially withdraw from a program. This process includes completion of the Withdrawal form. Regarding refunds, please consult the Payment and Refund Policy.

Minimum GPA Requirement

The Study Abroad Office requires all students to have at least a 2.50 GPA*

EXCEPTION: If a student’s cumulative GPA is below a 2.50 requirement but is at least a 2.00, the student may request an exception to this requirement by submitting the following documents, along with the Study Abroad Application, to the Study Abroad Office:

One Letter of Recommendation submitted directly to the Study Abroad Office from K-State faculty and/or staff

Decisions regarding the student’s GPA appeal will be made by the Study Abroad Team.

*Specific programs may have a higher GPA requirement

*Faculty leaders on faculty-led programs may accept students who have lower than a 2.50 GPA

Minimum Credit Hour Requirement

The Study Abroad Office requires all students participating on independent study abroad programs to have a minimum of 30 University-level credits.* Faculty-led programs will each have their own minimum credit or class standing requirement.

EXCEPTION: If a student has earned fewer than 30, the student may request an exception to this requirement by submitting the following documents, along with the Study Abroad Application, to the Study Abroad Office.

Travel to a country with a US Department of State Travel Warning

Students wishing to study abroad to a country with a US Department of State Travel Warning will be asked to sign a US Department of State Travel Warning Waiver and Release form when completing their online study abroad application.

Kansas State University has numerous officially approved study abroad programs spanning the globe. The University has selected these programs, in part, based on the knowledgeable program personnel that our partners have stationed in-country; the program infrastructures they have in place; and the due care and attention they devote to enhancing the safety and security of our students. In spite of our confidence in the measures our partners abroad take to enhance student safety and security, from time to time the University finds it appropriate to advise students to decline participation in an officially recognized study abroad program or destination due to serious concerns, such as political unrest, social instability, contagious disease control, military operations, or terrorism concerns within the host country.

K-State University, in its discretion, may advise students to decline participation in an officially approved study abroad program or destination for any of the following reasons:

The U.S. Department of State has issued either: (1) Travel Warning that urges Americans traveling to or within the country in which the program is located to consider carefully the risks of such travel and remain vigilant with respect to their personal safety and security if they choose to travel to or within that country, or within a specific region of that country that the Department of State has determined poses particularized risks for American travelers; or (2) Travel Warning outlining significant risks to the safety and security of Americans traveling to or within the country in which the program is located.

K-State personnel have received recommendations that participants refrain from travel to a specific country or region by either: (1) K-State faculty who are knowledgeable in the sociopolitical dynamics of the country or region in which the program is located; (2) private security firms with personnel stationed in-country; or (3) K-State’s peer institutions who are advising students to decline participation in programs located within the country or region.

Students with a history of disciplinary action at KSU

The Study Abroad Office requests a report of history of disciplinary action for all study abroad applicants from the Office of Student Affairs and the Department of Residence Life. If a student has a history of disciplinary action at KSU, they may be asked to sign an additional behavior contract for their term of study abroad, or it may be recommended that they do not participate on a study abroad program.

International Students Studying Abroad

International Students studying in the US on an F-1 or J-1 visa are not permitted to participate in an exchange program to their home country. They can participate on a faculty-led, direct enroll or program provider program to their home country. Hong Kong and Taiwan are not considered a Mainland Chinese student's home country. An exception may be made if KSU owes students toward an exchange balance.

Athletes Studying Abroad

According to NCAA policy, athletic scholarship funds are only able to be used to cover Kansas State University courses. Therefore, students participating on program provider, direct enrollment or exchange programs will not be able to use their NCAA scholarship funds to cover the cost of tuition. The funds can only be used for faculty-led study abroad programs, for which the student is enrolled in a KSU course.

Student athletes should also speak with their Athletic Counselor before committing to a study abroad program.

Special Billing Requests through KSU

Any Kansas State University student who will be receiving academic credit for a study abroad experience through a Direct Enroll or Program Provider partner will be billed by the host institution or provider, and is responsible for submitting payment directly to the institution or provider by specified deadlines.

Exceptions to this rule are ISEP Direct or CCIS programs, as well as extenuating financial or scholarship award circumstances.

Invoices for students participating on ISEP Direct or CCIS programs will be billed to K-State and charges will be placed on each student's K-State iSIS student account.

Students with extenuating financial or scholarship award situations, who require program fees to be processed through Kansas State University, must submit a K-State Study Abroad Office Billing Request form and an invoice to the Study Abroad Office in 304 Fairchild Hall.

The K-State Study Abroad Office Billing Request form must be submitted to the Study Abroad Office no later than four weeks prior to the payment deadline.

The invoice must be from the institution or program provider, containing their billing address, the date of the invoice, the total dollar amount to be paid, and what portion of that dollar amount is for tuition. A current W-9 may also be required, if the Office of International Programs has not paid them in the past (please check with your Study Abroad Advisor).

Participants who are not Kansas State University students who require a paper bill must also submit a K-State Study Abroad Office Billing Request form.

Handbook

The Faculty Leader Handbook is to provide prospective and returning faculty leaders a central location for information regarding the various aspects of the programs. The handbook is organized by main topics related to the proposal process. If you have any questions, please contact the Study Abroad Advisor for your college.

Group travel to a country under a US Department of State Travel Warning

EXCEPTION: Exceptions may be granted by the Associate Provost for International Programs on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Study Abroad Advisor for your college for more information on how to request an exception.

Emergency Fee

The Study Abroad Office requires that each faculty-led study abroad program include an Emergency Fee of 5% of the total program cost into the program budget.

This Emergency Fee will be collected as a part of the student program fees prior to the program’s departure, and given to the faculty leader as a part of a travel advance, to be used only in the case of an emergency. Some examples of an emergency during travel include: airline, or transportation strikes, natural or political disasters, inclement weather delays or up-front payment of medical costs for a student (although the student will ultimately be responsible for covering those costs on his or her own). The emergency fund should not be used for items such as tips for guides, additional entrance fees, or group meals that were not originally built into the budget.

If no emergency occurs during the travel dates, funds must be returned to OIP within 30 days of travel end date. A refund will be processed to the students by the OIP accountant after advances are settled and receipts turned in. If an emergency occurs, receipts should be obtained for expenses made on behalf of the group.

The faculty leader should understand that should the emergency fund be spent on non-emergencies before the trip is complete, and then an emergency does occur, the Office of International Programs and Study Abroad Office will not have any additional funding available to help cover the costs incurred by those emergencies.

Faculty Driving Abroad

Kansas State University strongly discourages faculty, staff, and students from driving vehicles outside of the United States while participating in any Kansas State University sponsored study abroad program. Instead, participants should utilize public transportation when possible, and local drivers should be secured in the host country for all non-public transportation needs. However, it is recognized that in some situations or locations of the world, rental of a vehicle and/or a faculty or staff member driving students while abroad may be an appropriate (and sometimes safer) option. Faculty or staff who wish to obtain a vehicle and drive students abroad should provide the following information (in English), with their program proposal, to the K-State Study Abroad Office:

Justification of why rental of a vehicle is the best and safest option in the host countries;

Proof of sufficient insurance coverage for claims against the University in the host countries arising from accidents or other claims related to such travel;

General information on driving in the host countries;

Information about the features and safety of the vehicles available through the rental agency or other third parties; AND

Any additional pertinent information, including but not limited to, the faculty leader's experience driving in the host country.

The Study Abroad Office will consider the information provided and determine whether the requested transportation modes are permissible. In no case should a student drive other students while participating on a K-State faculty-led program abroad. Students are allowed to participate in a program where faculty leaders are driving students if they sign the supplemental waiver addressing the additional risks of a faculty member driving while abroad.

Faculty-Led Scholarship Deadlines

The scholarship deadlines for students participating on Kansas State University faculty-led programs are based on the term the program travels abroad. Scholarship applications are due in October (prior to travel) for faculty-led programs with travel during the winter or spring breaks. Scholarship applications are due in March (prior to travel) for faculty-led programs with travel in summer or fall break.

Late or Lack of Participant Program Payment

All program fees must be paid by the established deadlines. If program fees are not paid by the established deadlines, then the participant may be immediately dropped from the program and their placement may be offered to another participant. It is the participant's responsibility to track payment deadlines. This can be done by checking the Study Abroad Office website or by contacting the Study Abroad Office.

Insufficient Funds Charge

As specified by the Schedule of Charges maintained by the Division of Financial Services, a participant program payment that does not have sufficient funds will be assessed a charge of $30.00 per check or ACH.